Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya became the leader of the Belarusian pro-democracy forces after she had confronted the decades-long authoritarian rule of Aliaksandr Lukashenka, in the 2020 presidential election. Despite widespread and well-founded claims of voter fraud, Lukashenka proclaimed his victory, leading to the most significant protests witnessed in the country since independence in 1991. In response to peaceful mass protests, the regime resorted to unprecedented levels of brutal violence to contain the protests, resulting in the imprisonment, torture, beatings, and exile of hundreds of thousands of citizens, and this harsh repression continues till this day.
In her keynote lecture, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will focus on the current situation in Belarus that emerged in the aftermath of the 2020 protests against the election results and the massive violence committed by the public forces. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya will share her personal account of the events in Belarus following the 2020-2021 protests, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and its implications for Belarus, and the role of the United Transition Cabinet established in response to these events in 2022 to facilitate Belarus’ transition to democracy. She will also shed light on the European Union’s role in this critical proces
Date and time: 12 December, 19:00 – 20:30, doors open at 18.30
Venue: Ceremoniezaal, Aula (Voldersstraat 9, Gent 9000)
Entrance is free, but registration is strictly required.
More information and registration
